They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why
by AshleighLoryn
Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this situation. Slightly AU, Rated M for smut and mature themes. If uncomfortable with Abusive themes, I encourage you to not read. Rachel/OC, Eventual Puckleberry. Klaine/Puckleberry friendships.
1. Chapter 1

A Puckleberry fanfic: They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why

Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this type of situation, ever. Set after graduation, slightly AU.

Pairings: Rachel/OC-eventual Puckleberry, Klaine, Hummelberry friendship, Raine/Blainechel friendship, Puckurt friendship, Blaine/Puck friendship.

Word count:

Rachel Berry made it. She really made it. Graduating high school, off to college with her best friend Kurt Hummel. They would take New York by storm this year. And next year the dynamic duo would expand to four. Noah Puckerman, Rachel's other best friend, had agreed to stay in Lima for a year, to keep up with Blaine, who was only going to be a senior this year. Puck had really grown over time. He and Rachel had been best friends since before they could even remember. They'd been planning to go to New York since Rachel was about eight years old. She never knew then that she'd have met Kurt and Blaine, and then have them to add to her plan. The four of them were inseperable throughout junior and senior year. She'd even nicknamed the four of them. Puckleklaineberry. Puck, Kurt, Blaine and Rachel. But now, they were splitting off. It was only for a year, but still. Puck and Blaine had become pretty close, and Kurt and Rachel were pretty much the same person, so it was a win win in a way. But they would miss each other terribly, promising to keep in touch as much as possible.

When the new school year started, Rachel and Kurt had their apartment all put together. It was only two blocks away from NYADA, so they would be able to walk, saving money on the outrageous tax fare in New York, and still avoiding the subway. Rachel had ridden it once, and vowed to never do so again. It was the most terrifying experience of her life. She'd gone to her classes, everything going smoothly, excited to learn she had a few of the same classes with Kurt. About halfway through the day, Rachel was walking to her final class, when she bumped into someone, causing her papers to go flying.

"Oh my Barbra, I'm so sorry! Let me help you!" She said, scurrying to pick up the scattered papers.

"That was completely my fault.. I'm sorry." Replied a voice. Rachel picked up the rest of the papers, trying to sort out his from hers. Once that was done, she finally looked at him. He had the most beautiful brown eyes. She coughed, and looked away, trying to regain her composure.

"I-I'm sorry. I should have been paying attention." She said, blushing furiously.

The man shook his head. "It's no problem really. I'm Owen. Owen Johnston." He held his hand out for her to shake. Taking his hand, she introduced herself. "Rachel Berry, NYADA student, future broadway starlet." She grinned.

In her head she was kicking herself. What was wrong with her today? Luckily for her, Owen just chuckled. "I'll have to remember the name, then."

They stood in an awkward silence for a moment. "So, where are you headed?" Rachel asked curiously. He looked at his schedule. "Music Theory." "Me too! My friend Kurt, he's going to be in that class too." She told him. They walked to class together, discussing broadway, and music.

Once arriving at the classroom, she saw Kurt, who waved her over. She skipped up to him, a smile on her face. "Rachel Barbra Berry. I know that look. What happened?"

Rachel explained in as few words as she possibly could, until Owen was behind her. She stood straight, and cleared her throat. "Owen, this is my friend, Kurt Hummel." Kurt smiled slightly, holding his hand out. "Kurt Hummel, best friend of Rachel Berry." He announced.

Rachel laughed with her best friend. They took their seats, sitting through class together. As soon as they were dismissed an hour later, Kurt grabbed Rachel's arm, linking it with his.

He slid a piece of paper onto Owen's desk. "That's Rachel's number. Meet her at the campus starbucks in an hour and a half approximately." Was all he said before pulling Rachel away.

"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel, what was that? You're going to scare him off!" She whisper shouted. "Calm down, I have this under control, and you now have a coffee date. I am the best best friend ever." He beamed at himself, and Rachel couldn't force herself to stay mad. If Kurt hadn't have said something, Rachel wouldn't have done anything.

Their coffee date ended up being fantastic. She found out he was from a small town as well. They had so much in common, from broadway musical favorites to the little OCD moments they had. Wrapping holiday gifts themselves, in order to get it just right, and practicing to the point of perfection. After a few hours had passed, the coffee shop was closing. They walked all the way back to her apartment, arm in arm. Rachel hadn't giggled and blushed this much since.. well, ever. She thanked Owen, and let go of his arm. She smiled up at him, and turned to walk into her apartment. She was inside for maybe five seconds when Kurt bombarded her with questions.

"Kurt! Breathe, breathe in, breathe out!" She laughed. "It was amazing." She gushed, giving him every detail.

"That's great to hear, Rach." He said once she finished. "And now, we do have a skype date to attend to." Kurt told her, pulling her along to his laptop. Rachel followed, and sat down on the couch. Once they got Blaine and Puck on camera, they fell into their familiar patterns.

"So. Rachel had a date today." Kurt announced for her. Rachel swatted at his arm lightly, blushing. "It was not a date! It was merely coffee with a friend." Puck rolled his eyes, as he always did. This didn't go unnoticed by Blaine.

He frowned, but he was happy for Rachel. "Noah, I can't wait for you to get here." Rachel said, beaming. "Can't wait to get there, Rach." He'd replied grinning.

"It's going to be so fantastic! All four of us living together? It's going to be-" Rachel was cut off by Puck. "It's gonna be a damn catastrophe everyday."

Seeing the look on Rachel's face, he backtracked. "But yeah, it's gonna be great." Kurt and Blaine burst into laughter at that point. The four of them always had a good time. After a few hours of talking, they all agreed they should go, they each had their own things to do the next day.

Once hanging up, Puck looked over at Blaine. "So much for telling her how I feel." He muttered. Blaine, being the optimist he was, told him to keep his chin up.

"It was just a coffee date, and Rachel was denying it was a date, which means something. I wouldn't be too worried about it." He said reassuringly. Puck rolled his eyes, and plopped on his bed."I guess you're right, dude."

Blaine just shrugged. "I try."

Meanwhile, in New York, Kurt and Rachel went through their nightly routines. Rachel was exercising on her eliptical machine. Some things just never changed. While she worked out a little bit, Kurt was moisturizing.

"Rachel, you're going to see Owen again, right?" He asked.

Rachel internally shrugged. "I don't know.. I want my full focus to be on classes, so I can ace them with flying colors. I need to graduate with the best grades possible, so Broadway will be more inclined to take me."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Hello, drama queen, it's nice of you to stop by. Rachel, you are the smartest person I know. Even through high school, when you dated, you still maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA. I truly believe that you will be fine."

Rachel stopped, and smiled sheepishly. "We did have a rather amazing time this afternoon." Kurt clapped his hands together, and smiled widely. Rachel shook her head, and jumped off the eliptical.

"Now stop pushing this!" She joked. "I can handle it from here, I assure you!" She giggled. "Thank you, Kurt." She said before she went into the bathroom to shower.

A few months later, Rachel and Owen had officially become a couple. Kurt was pretty sure they'd been attached at the hip. They were constantly together, always laughing about something, and going on dates. Kurt was just so happy for Rachel that he didn't mind explaining to Blaine and Puck why she wasn't there for one of their skype dates.

That night was the night Kurt's views changed. "Where's Rach?" Puck had asked. "Well, Rachel is on a date. With her boyfriend."

Puck rolled his eyes. "Can't separate herself from him long enough to talk to us?" He asked bitterly. "Puck, what's your problem? You're lucky Rachel hasn't noticed, but lately you've been incredibly bitter, and it's growing old." Kurt said.

"Kurt.." Blaine began. "Puck's _jealous._" "What? Jealous?" It hit him.

"Oh my god. You like her." Kurt put his hand to his face. "I should have realized sooner. I'm so sorry Puck. If I knew, I wouldn't have set her up." Puck shrugged. "I waited too long. Not your fault."

Kurt sighed. "I'm so happy for her. Rachel's very happy, Puck, I can assure you. If this relationship ever turned for the worse, I would make absolutely sure to get her out of it before she could get hurt. But Owen is very nice."

Puck nodded. "Thanks, Kurt. You're a pretty cool dude." Blaine chuckled. "Kurt, we miss you two so much." "It's just a few more months, and we'll see you guys again. Rachel and I decided to stay in New York for the holidays, as you all know, to save money, so we can afford our ramen." He joked.

"But we do need to save money, to pay the rent here. New York is expensive."

"Once we get there, it'll be cheaper." Blaine assured him. "You're right. It will be easier. But hey, I'm going to go study, and tell Rachel to get her butt home so she can help me with this music theory stuff." After their goodbyes, Kurt was ready to call Rachel, when she came in the door, crying.

Kurt jumped up, enveloping the brunette in his arms. "Rachel, talk to me, what happened?"

"I went to the coffee shop, where we always meet up, and I saw him sitting there, with another girl. Holding her hand, acting all cuddly, and then he kissed her. So I ran, I sat on a bench for awhile, but it got too cold, so I came home."

She buried her face into Kurt's chest. He ran his fingers through her hair. "Shhh, Rach, it'll be okay. How about we get you some hot coffee, and some sugary treats? My treat, of course." He offered.

She swiped at her eyes, and looked up at her best friend. "That sounds fantastic, thank you, Kurt." She said. "Of course, Rachel. And tomorrow, I'm going to be having a word with our lovely Owen."

The next morning, Kurt, after making sure Rachel was okay, headed off to class. Rachel was getting ready slowly, not looking forward to classes that day for the first time in her life. She was ready to go out the door, when someone knocked. She took a deep breath, and opened it. "Owen.." She muttered.

"Rachel. I know what you saw was bad. I'm so sorry." Rachel turned away from him. "I don't get cheated on. I can't accept that kind of behavior." She said.

Owen walked toward her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Rach, can you ever forgive me?" He asked.

She turned toward him, her eyes wide, full of sadness. "Why though?" She asked.

"I don't know what I was thinking, I was caught up in the moment, it was an idiotic move. I'm so sorry." Rachel looked at the ground, and back up to him.

"I-I don't know.." She said, stepping away from him. He held on to her tightly, so she couldn't move.

"Owen, you-you're hurting me.. Please let go." She asked quietly. "I-I can't take you back. You cheated. I can't be with a cheater." She told him.

His grip got tighter. "Rachel, please. I want to be with you. I ended it with her. She's not even important. Can't you see that you're my one and only?" He explained.

Rachel shook her head. Owen snapped. He smacked her in the face. Rachel stumbled backwards, her hand against her face. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh god. Rachel. I'm sorry. I.. I don't know what came over me. God. I'm so sorry."

He went into her kitchen and got some ice. "Here. put this on your face. Rachel, I am so, so sorry." He repeated.

Rachel thought it over. She liked Owen, she really did, and he said he ended it with that other girl. He wanted to be with her so badly, and he'd said it was an accident. A one time thing, right? Rachel took a deep breath. "I-I forgive you. It was an accident... I'll say I tripped... It's not a big deal."

Owen smiled at her, kissing her lips softly. "May I escort you to class?" He asked formally. Rachel set the ice down, and nodded. "Yes. Yes you may." She said, linking arms with him, to head to class.

A/N: So the first chapter was just introductions to the characters, and a little hint of Puckleberry. The next chapter is coming very soon, I hope you enjoy it so far! (:


	2. Chapter 2

A Puckleberry fanfic: They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why

Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this type of situation, ever. Set after graduation, slightly AU.

Pairings: Rachel/OC-eventual Puckleberry, Klaine, Hummelberry friendship, Raine/Blainchel friendship, Puckurt friendship, Blaine/Puck friendship.

The following month of the 'incident' as Rachel referred to it as, Kurt kept an eye out. He'd talked to Rachel about taking him back. He didn't trust the guy anymore.

_"Kurt, it was all just a huge misunderstanding." Rachel said, defending Owen. _

_"How so, Rachel?" He'd asked her, his hands on his hips. _

_"He said it was just a 'caught in the moment' thing. It's happened plenty of times to myself, so why shouldn't I trust him? And plus, he told me that he ended it. I believe him." Rachel said. _

_Kurt watched her face. There was a small bruise on her cheek, Rachel had assured him that she just tripped. Something was a little off. But Rachel was sticking to that story like glue. _

_"I don't trust him, but I can't tell you who to date, Rachel. Just, please be careful, okay? Promise me that, as your best friend?" He asked. Rachel smiled._

_ "I promise." Kurt sighed in relief. "Okay, so. Assist me on this music theory?" He asked, changing the subject. _

Kurt had spoken to Puck and Blaine about these fears. He'd explained the situation to them, getting an enraged Puck in return.

_"Who the fuck does this douschebag think he is? You don't fucking cheat on Rachel. If I had her, she'd be treated like the fucking jewish amercian princess she is." He ranted. _

_"Puck, there's nothing I can do about it. Rachel seems very set on continuing to date him."_

_ "There's something I can do about it." He muttered. "Fucking asshole, fuckin'..ugh." He grumbled. Blaine patted his friends shoulder. _

_"Take some deep breaths, Puck."_

_ Rachel walked in then, and sat next to Kurt. "Hey guys!" She said happily. _

_Puck thought he saw a bruise on Rachel's cheek. It was hard to tell with the camera, but it was pretty apparent. "Rach, what's on your face?" He asked. Her hand flew up to her face. _

_"Oh, that. I tripped and fell the other day. It's nothing." She laughed. _

_Puck wasn't buying that story. Rachel Berry wasn't clumsy. But he didn't say anything. Blaine creased his eyebrow. "Are you okay Rachel?" "Really, I'm fine!" She assured them. _

_Kurt sat back not saying anything. Rachel looked at her three friends. "You guys don't believe me do you?" She'd asked. Puck shrugged. "You aren't clumsy." Was all he said. _

_"Everyone falls once in awhile, Noah." She retorted. _

_"Guess you're right." He said flatly. _

_Rachel rolled her eyes. Clearly Puck was in one of _those _moods. Blaine and Kurt exchanged a glance through the camera._

_ "So, Puck and I have some studying to do, and I'm sure you guys do too.. We'll talk to you tomorrow?" Blaine suggested. _

_"Sounds good over here." Kurt answered, hanging up. _

Everything was going fine from there. For a little while. Rachel and Owen were nearly insepereable again. Kurt did however notice how weird Rachel was acting. There was really something weird going on. Kurt wasn't one to pry unless he knew it was harming her health. What Kurt didn't know was that her weird behavior was indeed harming her.

Sure, she kept up the appearance of the perfect student, getting perfect grades, going on dates, seeing an occasional Broadway show, etc. When Rachel was with Owen, she strived to be a perfectionist even harder. The 'one time thing' turned into a habit with him. The second time it happened, he was drunk, and Rachel had picked him up from a party. He'd apologized the next day, saying he was drunk. Rachel forgave him, after he promised it would never happen again. The third time, she attempted to make breakfast for him, but burnt the toast. He begged her to stay, saying that he loved her.

She couldn't help but forgive him again. It became a regular thing, and he'd stopped apologizing, expecting her to just stay there. Rachel had many times considered ending it with him, but then she thought of what would happen if she did. And that terrified her. So Rachel tried to convince herself she was in love with him. This train of thought was why every smack, every punch, every time she was hit, was okay to her. Because she loved him. Rachel was just careful to cover the bruises. And with the season being so cold, it was easy. Long sleeved shirts were necessary. She knew that Kurt was watching her carefully, so she often spent nights at Owen's apartment.

One night she spent there, Owen was being awfully nice. He made dinner for her, and given her flowers. Rachel was pleasantly surprised. They sat together on his couch, him stroking her hair, and her cuddled into his side. She thought it would be a good night, until he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Let's go into my room."

Rachel didn't think much of it, she'd slept in his bed plenty of times before. She got up with him, and followed him down the hallway. Once in his room, with the door closed, he pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck. He lifted her up, and pushed her against the wall as they kissed. Rachel groaned into the kiss, and she could feel Owen messing with her skirt. She broke away from him for a minute.

"What?" He asked her. He had that look in his eyes. She knew what was going to happen if she said no. "Protection." Was the one word she uttered. He nodded, patting his pocket.

"Got it." She nodded, and continued kissing him. She wasn't truly ready for this, but it was the only way to avoid getting hurt.

In January, Puck and Blaine flew out for a visit. Kurt didn't tell Rachel, wanting to surprise her. He picked them up from the airport, flying into Blaine's arms when he saw the other boy. Puck felt uncomfortable watching them, so he went straight down to baggage claim. They arrived at the apartment an hour later. Kurt opened the door, to Rachel watching a movie with Owen on the couch.

"Kurt, there's some leftover take out for you-" She said before looking over at him, with Blaine and Puck standing behind him. "Oh my god! You're here? I thought you wouldn't be here until spring break!" Rachel exclaimed, jumping up from the couch, and running to them.

She hugged Blaine, and then turned toward Puck, before rushing into his arms. "Noah, I missed you so much!" She mumbled.

"Hey Rach." He replied, wrapping his arms around the girl's small frame. She pulled away after a minute, and remembered Owen.

"Oh! Blaine, Noah, I want you two to meet Owen. This is my boyfriend." She smiled. "Owen, this is Blaine and Noah, though he prefers to go by Puck. I say it's a waste of a beautiful hebrew name to not use it. But he doesn't listen." She joked, shoving Puck slightly.

He rolled his eyes, and ruffled her hair. Rachel's eyes kept flicking to Owen's face, watching him. "It's nice to meet both of you." He said, a smile plastered to his face. She let out a sigh of relief.

"So, Rachel, I'm thinking tonight, You, me, Blaine and Puck can all go out to dinner. Just like old times!" Kurt proposed.

Rachel nodded. "That sounds great." She smiled. Owen took her hand in his, and pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist, almost possessively. Puck quirked an eyebrow, and Kurt bit his lip nervously. Blaine had gone to put their stuff away. Owen leaned down and whispered something in Rachel's ear, causing her to blush. "Can I meet you guys at the restaraunt?" She requested.

Puck wanted to say something, but Kurt beat him to it. "Of course, Rach. I'll text you the details." He held his hands behind his back, signaling Puck to not say anything. The couple left, and Kurt turned toward Puck.

"What the fuck?" He asked. Kurt exhaled. "We need to find out what's going on with her." He explained

. "What do you mean '_what's going on with her.'_ Is there something I should know, Hummel?" Puck asked, still angry he let Rachel go off with that ass.

Kurt sighed. "Rachel's been acting very weird. I just need to get to the bottom of it." Puck was a little confused, and Kurt explained her actions.

"Okay, so we need a plan." "First we need to figure out what's going on. I can't figure it out alone. I need your help." Kurt answered. Puck looked at him knowingly.

Meanwhile, Rachel and Owen went back to his apartment. He faced her, and she waited for the smack. When it didn't come, she was grateful. "I don't like that Puck guy." He said.

"Oh, Noah? You'll get used to him. He has a tough exterior, but he's a big softie." She laughed. He took her hands, squeezing. She winced.

"I don't want you to be around him." Rachel stared up at him. "Owen.. He's been my best friend since we were in diapers. Our parents sat next to each other in temple, we were always playing together at the JCC. We're best friends, it's as if you're asking me to cut off my arm." She explained calmly.

His grip got even tighter. "Owen, please. We're just friends." She told him. "You sure as hell weren't acting like friends. You lit up like the fourth of July when he walked through the door. Like your life was complete now that he was in the room." He said.

Rachel's wrists were throbbing at this point. "I can't help that he's here now. It was a surprise! I can't do anything about it. They're staying at my apartment!" She said exasperatedly.

"Stay here." He said simply. "I can't miss dinner tonight." Owen nodded. "Fine. Go to your dinner, but first." He smacked her across the face. Rachel ducked her head. "Now.." He lifted her chin, and kissed her lips, his hands wrapping around her waist, pulling her toward his bedroom. She followed along, each undressing each other along the way.

Dinner that night went pretty smoothly. Rachel covered up her face carefully. She arrived at the restaraunt, looking for Puck, Kurt or Blaine. She spotted them, walking to the table. She smiled, and sat next to Puck. "How are you guys?" She asked.

"Why so late, Rachel?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow. Rachel blushed furiously, looking at the table. "No reason." She muttered. Kurt scoffed. "Mhm.. _sure._"

Puck shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and Kurt dropped it. It was hard for Puck to just sit there, pretending to have a good time. In a way he was, he was surrounded by his three best friends. He had feelings for Rachel, there was no denying that. But he never wanted to ruin their friendship, so he kept quiet.

But now, it was even harder to not say anything. He had an intense hatred toward Owen, why wouldn't he? The asshole cheated on her, and she went back to him. He probably said he loved her, begging her to stay or some shit like that. Rachel was a pretty forgiving girl. But there was something about this Owen character that made Puck's blood boil. Still, he put a fake smile on his face the entire night, trying to enjoy the time he could spend with her.

They laughed, told college stories, and talked about just every subject they could think of. By the end of the night, they were definitely ready to go home. Rachel collected up her stuff, and hugged them. "Where ya goin' Berry? We're gonna go back to the apartment and watch movies." He said, smirking.

"Oh? I'm going to spend the night with Owen." She muttered. Kurt raised an eyebrow, and Blaine bit his lip. Puck stared at her. "Really? You can't take a few hours to spend some time with your friends? The people who have been here for you your entire life, over the guy that cheated on you." He blurted out.

Rachel stared at him, her jaw dropped. "I-you- how did you know about that-Kurt." She looked at him. Kurt put his hands up. "I was worried." Rachel threw her hands up. "Why are you worried? I'm fine! I just really like him, okay?" She said, storming off, not letting them get another word in.

"Maybe she's pregnant? And trying to hide it?" Kurt suggested. "Dude, don't even go there." He sighed. The three boys went back to the apartment, to analyze Rachel's behavior, maybe it would help them figure out what was going on.

"Maybe she's doing drugs." Puck said. "Rachel wouldn't do anything to ruin her voice. Broadway means way too much to her for that." Kurt replied with. "You're right. Uh, maybe.." Puck began, trying to think.

"I don't have a clue, but I'd be willing to bet that it has something to do with Owen. It has to. She was doing just fine until... he cheated on her. They got back together the next day, and she had that bruise on her face from falling." Kurt said.

Everything suddenly clicked in Blaine's head. "You don't think... she was lying about that, do you? Where she got the bruise?" He said. "Oh god. No. Don't even suggest that one." Puck said.

"I swear if he was beating Rachel, I would beat him until he could see the fucking light."

"That's a bit extreme though, don't you think?" Kurt asked. "I mean, I'm not trying to doubt you, Blaine, it's just a very long shot. I don't believe Rachel would allow herself to be in an abusive relationship either. It's not in Rachel's nature to be told what to do. The only way she would possibly do that was if she was scared. She's been hurt a lot in the past, can you blame her for wanting to believe Owen is a good guy? He's charming, I must admit. But I just can't look at him the same since he cheated on Rachel." He admitted.

Puck sighed in frustration. "I'm tired.. We'll figure it out tomorrow." He said before standing up and walking to Rachel's room, where he would be staying.

A/N: Just read and review! :)


	3. Chapter 3

A Puckleberry fanfic: They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why

Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this type of situation, ever. Set after graduation, slightly AU.

Pairings: Rachel/OC-eventual Puckleberry, Klaine, Hummelberry friendship, Raine/Blainchel friendship, Puckurt friendship, Blaine/Puck friendship.

Puck was getting frustrated quickly. He and Blaine were staying there for two weeks, and he'd barely seen Rachel. She was always off with _him. _He decided to change this. When the two of them came to the apartment, Puck asked Kurt and Blaine to distract Owen. Puck went into Rachel's room, picking the small brunette up, and slinging her over his shoulder.

"Noah Elijah Puckerman!" She shouted. "Hush, Berry." He said. "Noah, what are you doing?" She said quieter, holding on to him for dear life.

"We're going out." He said. "Noah, put me down." She sighed. "Not until we're outside, now hush." He told her. She listened right away, which was very much unlike her.

Puck was a little shocked by her behavior, but he was on a mission. As soon as they got out of the building and down the street, he put her down as promised. She straightened her clothes out, and huffed at him.

He shrugged, and walked in front of her, reaching his hand into her pocket. Rachel's breath hitched for a second. He'd grabbed her cell phone, turning it off.

"No phones."

"Noah.."

"I'm turning mine off too." He said, turning his own phone off. Rachel glanced back at the building down the street.

"Rachel, two hours without your little boy toy isn't going to kill you. I'm your best friend and we've been around each other for three hours since I've been here. Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something to piss you off Rach?" He asked straight up.

Rachel smiled up at him. "No, you didn't do anything."

"What's the problem then?" He asked.

"It's nothing." She said.

Puck crossed his arms, and looked at her. He wasn't buying it. "Does your boyfriend have anything to do with it?" He asked.

"I-he might." She muttered. "He's jealous of you."

Puck scoffed. "Jealous of the badass? Tell me something I don't know, Rach." "No really. He's jealous of our friendship. He... he asked me to stay away from you." She admitted.

Puck rolled his eyes. "I never liked the guy." He shrugged. "Why don't you just tell him no?" He asked.

"Because I'm afraid!" She blurted out before thinking. "What do you mean afraid?" He asked. She had to think for a minute.

"Rachel, is there something going on I should know about?"

Rachel shook her head. "It's a silly little fear, really." Puck raised an eyebrow. "I'm.. I'm just afraid of losing him. Being alone." She lied through her teeth.

Puck's features softened, and he pulled the girl in for a hug. "Rachel.. It'll be alright. You're never alone. You've got me.." He paused, and tacked on, "Kurt and Blaine too. We're all here for you."

Rachel buried her face into Puck's chest. She couldn't help but compare him to Owen. How his arms were stronger, how he was warmer, and his embrace was safe. In Owen's arms, she felt paranoid, waiting for him to hurt her. She didn't feel like that in Noah's arms. She held on to him longer than necessary. When she finally remembered where she was, she pulled away. Puck watched her.

"Rach, are you sure everything's okay?" All she could do was nod. She couldn't look him in the eyes and lie to him. It was physically impossible for her to do.

"Alright. So how about we take a little tour of New York?"

Rachel smiled, and linked their arms. "That sounds lovely, Mr. Puckerman."

They actually had a pretty good time. Rachel dragged him around Times Square. It was only about ten minutes away, so they made good time. Rachel hadn't smiled like this in a long time. "Okay, okay, Rach. You've dragged me to every place you could think of, and we've passed like a billion hot dog vendors. Lemme at one of those hot dogs!" He exclaimed.

Rachel rolled her eyes, but agreed. Rachel, being a vegan, didn't get one. She settled on a pretzel. "I wish I had more money." Puck said as they passed Gershwin Theater. "I'd take ya to see that musical."

Rachel smiled bashfully. "It's the thought that counts, Noah." She told him thankfully. "One day, I'll have to do that though." He promised. "There is nothing I would love more than to see a musical with my best friend." She said, squeezing his hand before shoving back into her pocket.

Rachel looked at her watch. "Noah, we've been gone for three hours. We need to go back now." She said, fear piercing her heart. Sure, Owen wasn't going to do anything there, but as soon as they got to his apartment, she would be swimming in uncharted waters. Puck nodded.

"Yeah, we should go back. It's getting dark." He said. New York was scary at night. He wasn't worried about himself as much as Rachel. Pretty girl like her walking around this late was a mugging or a rape waiting to happen.

When they got to the street her building was on, Puck took her hand, and stopped her. "Noah?" She asked. "Rachel, this is probably the only chance I'm going to have to say this."

Rachel's heart began to pound. "What would that be, Noah?" She asked nervously. "Rachel, we've known each other our entire lives. And over that time, sure, we've had our arguments, our time of growing apart, and being friends again, the typical stuff that best friends go through.. But." He paused, trying to word what he had to say correctly.

"Rachel, I'm in love with you. And I know you have a boyfriend. So I'm not going to disrespect that. You're into him, I see that. But I wasn't going down without a fight. I needed to tell you how I feel." Rachel stared at him, her jaw hanging open slightly.

Without warning, she pressed her lips to his. She wasn't even thinking. He held her to him while their lips moved against each other's. She snapped back to reality, and pulled away, her eyes wide. She looked at him, assessing his reaction. He had a dumb smile on his face. "Woah." Was all he said.

Rachel stepped away from him. "I-I shouldn't have done that.." She muttered. "Oh god, this makes me a cheater.. I can't believe this.." She rambled. Puck watched the way she was freaking out.

It kinda scared him, but it was so Rachel. He knew what he had to do. "Rach, calm down. It's okay.. It never happened... Alright?" Rachel looked into his eyes. She could tell now how much that statement hurt him. She hugged him tightly, as if this was going to be the last time she saw him. "Noah, you deserve so much better than me." She said pulling away from him.

Puck was shocked when the last sentence left her mouth. He wasn't going to argue with her. He didn't agree with her at all, but a fight was not what he wanted.

"I doubt it." He muttered. "We really need to go now." She said. "Alright." Puck didn't have much to say anymore. They were almost back to her apartment, and he'd lost. He told her the truth, and it looked like she was picking Owen over him.

What he didn't know was what Rachel was thinking about. Rachel kept replaying their kiss in her head. The way his lips were so warm, and seemed to mold against hers perfectly. How she felt when his arms were around her. It was as if everything was clicking into place for her. Her best friend was in love with her. And she was pretty sure she felt the same way. She'd never felt like this around Owen. Even before the abuse started. She and Owen were never meant to be. Rachel was insane to keep this up.

As soon as they got back to the apartment, Owen, Kurt and Blaine were sitting at the table, talking. Rachel went straight in there, and sat beside her boyfriend. "Nice of you two to join us." Kurt smiled. "We were just talking about NYADA's upcoming show. They're reprising RENT. Rachel, you're going to try out, am I correct?" Kurt asked her.

"Of course! Maureen's role is absolutely perfect for me. I've been told I look like Idina Menzel." She smiled. Owen's hand grabbed hers under the table, squeezing it to the point of pain. Rachel knew better than to react.

Rachel glanced over at Puck, who was watching her carefully. Rachel would stay here as long as she possibly could. Rachel and Kurt never ran out of things to talk about. Blaine jumped in once and awhile, with his own stories. It was fun for them. After an hour or two of this, Owen stood up.

"I hate to drag Rachel away from you guys again, but I made dinner reservations for the two of us. A late birthday present." He said. "Dude, her birthday was like more than a month ago." Puck said bitterly. "I know. I saved up money, so I could take her to her favorite New York restaraunt."

He challenged. Puck just crossed his arms, and slumped down in his chair a little bit. Blaine and Kurt watched silently. Finally, Rachel stood up. "Let's just go." She muttered, walking out the front door without saying another word. She definitely didn't want to go, because they weren't going to a restaraunt.

Rachel knew exactly what was coming when they got to his apartment. He grabbed her shoulders, and pushed her against the wall. "Where the fuck were you two?" He asked menacingly.

"Owen, please, calm down." She begged. If it were possible, there would probably be smoke coming from his ears. "He literally carried me out of the apartment. We went to Times Square and walked around. That's it!" She told him. "Nothing else happened?"

Rachel shook her head. "No. Nothing happened. Like I told you, we're just friends." She lied. He didn't believe her. "You could have run away." He said.

To that, she said nothing. He punched her in the stomach. Rachel felt the wind being knocked from her. Tears welled up in her eyes for the first time in months when he hit her.

This time was different, because now, she didn't know why she was putting up with it. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?" He screamed. Rachel just cried. "What. Happened?" He asked her again.

"I-I... I kissed him." She whispered. This sent Owen into a rage. He punched her on the cheek, causing her to fall to the ground. She didn't fight back. All she did was lay there as he beat her up.

"You fucking little slut!" He yelled, kicking her in the side. She yelped, and tried to breathe correctly. He straddled her, and smacked her. He threw punches left and right to her torso. Rachel's breathing was ragged, and she couldn't sit up.

Once he was done hurting her, she had a busted lip that was bleeding pretty badly, and she could tell she was going to have a black eye tomorrow. Her head was throbbing, and so was the rest of her body. She felt like she had just been hit by a truck. He lifted her under her shoulders, and pulled her to the couch, laying her down.

He got a wash cloth from the closet, getting it wet, and wiping the blood from her lip. She winced. He wasn't even being gentle. Once she was all cleaned up, he lifted her up, and carried her to the bathroom, grabbing her make up bag. She held on to him, only so she wouldn't fall.

He set her down on the counter. "Get your cover up shit or whatever it's called." He told her. With shaky hands, she found it, and handed it to him. He put it on her, and made sure the black eye was covered.

"It's going to swell." She said barely audible.

"I don't care." He replied.

She turned her head away, and he grabbed her face, turning her to him again.

"I forgive you for that. Just don't let it happen again, okay?" He said calmly.

Rachel nodded. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and put the make up back in her bag. He picked her up again, and carried her to his bed. She curled up into a ball, and tried to fall asleep, even with his unprotective arms around her.

A/N: This chapter was incredibly difficult to write. But it has to get worse before it gets better, right? So do read and review, and enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

A Puckleberry fanfic: They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why

Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this type of situation, ever. Set after graduation, slightly AU

Pairings: Rachel/OC-eventual Puckleberry, Klaine, Hummelberry friendship, Raine/Blainchel friendship, Puckurt friendship, Blaine/Puck friendship.

The two days following Puck and Rachel's adventure through Times Square, none of them saw Rachel. Kurt was slightly worried. Even when she did spend the evenings at Owen's home, she came back the following morning, or afternoon. Never had she gone out of contact for a full day. Puck was freaking out big time. The night he happened to tell Rachel his true feelings, the next day she's completely unreachable? Kurt and Blaine spent the day with Puck, consoling him.

"I'm sure she's fine. Rachel can take care of herself." Blaine said, more for Puck than anything. He was worried too

. "Maybe we should go look for her." Puck suggested.

"She's probably still with Owen. I can call him." Kurt said. He got up and dialed his number. "Phone's off."

Puck stood. "That's it. I'm gonna go look for her." Determined, Puck grabbed his coat, and went toward the door. "Wait, Puck, I'm coming with you." Kurt said.

"Blaine, can you stay here in case she shows up?" "Of course. Just keep me posted." He answered. The two left, and Blaine continued to call Rachel's cell, just in case. He heard the front door open, and Rachel came inside.

"Rachel! We've been looking for you all day!" He said standing in front of her. "I'm sorry.. My phone died." She said honestly.

"Where've you been all day? Puck's ready to organize a search party, I'm sure of it." He muttered. Rachel hugged her friend. "Rach, is everything okay?" He asked. "I-I have something to tell you.. But you can't tell anyone. Especially not Puck. Please Blaine. I have to tell someone."

Blaine nodded. "Of course. Rachel you can tell me anything." She sighed, and sat down. She explained everything. From Owen cheating on her to the abuse, all the way up to herself and Puck's kiss the day before. She lifted her shirt a little bit, showing him the bruises Owen left on her stomach. Once she was finished, she was in tears. Rachel Berry had lost all of her strength. Blaine sat next to her, and now that he was looking closely, he could see traces of make up covering other marks on her face.

"Rachel.. this is really serious. You need to tell the police. Get him arrested. This bastard needs to be put behind bars." He said, the anger rising in him.

"I-I don't know if I can." She said, looking down.

"Rachel, it's scary, yes. I know, but you need to do this. End things with him, make sure he doesn't get away with this." Blaine tried reasoning with her, but Rachel was stubborn. "Puck and Kurt are going to know something's going on. It won't stay a secret for long if you stay with him, and he continues to hurt you." He said finally.

Rachel's head snapped up. "I know... I just... I'm so scared. What if it's worse when I break up with him. What if he hurts me again?"

She asked him. "Don't go alone. Do it in a public place, I'm positive he won't make a scene in front of a crowd."

Rachel nodded. "I suppose you're right." Blaine wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and kissed her forehead. "Everything is going to be okay. How about I call them up, and bring them back here, and we can tell them." He suggested.

Rachel thought about it for a minute. "I-I can't.. Not yet.. I'm not ready for that." She told him. "Rach-" "Just.. give me a few days? Please?" She asked. Blaine looked at his friend, and sighed. "Fine, but please. Before we leave, okay?" Rachel nodded. "I promise." She answered him.

Blaine gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, and let go, to go call Kurt. Rachel pulled her knees to her chest, and sat there for a little bit. Once Kurt and Puck got back, she was bombarded with questions.

"We've been worried sick, Rachel!" Kurt said. "Your phone was off, and we couldn't get ahold of you.. So we went searching." Puck said.

"I know, I'm sorry. My phone died. Owen and I had a Barbra marathon. We watched a ton of her movies." She lied. "I didn't mean to worry you." She said, looking at the ground. Kurt pulled her into a hug. "Are you positive everything's okay?"

Rachel nodded, trying not to flinch. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Once Rachel was done assuring them that she was fine, she sat down on the couch. "So, where's Owen at?" Puck asked almost bitterly.

"He said he needed to do some studying today." Rachel answered.

"Oh. Cool."

They didn't speak to each other much for the rest of the day. Just one word here and there. It made Rachel's heart ache. She knew how she felt about Puck now. She just needed to find a way to get out of this relationship. Puck decided to make a pizza run. Leaving Rachel in the apartment with Kurt and Blaine.

Blaine stared at her as Puck left. "Okay, time to talk about the big elephant in the room." Kurt said as soon as the door closed. "What happened the other day when you `two were gone?" He asked Rachel straight away.

Rachel told him everything. Literally carrying her out, to the kiss. She left out what happened when she was at Owen's. "Rachel, what are you doing then?" Kurt asked. "You clearly have feelings for Puck." He pointed out.

"I know.. But I love Owen too." She lied. "It's such a confusing situation." Blaine raised an eyebrow at her. He knew she was lying. And she felt so guilty. Her face flushed, and Kurt knew something was going on. He looked between her and Blaine.

"What are you not telling me?" He asked, determined to know the answer.

"Rachel, do you want to tell him, or should I?" Blaine asked her.

Rachel couldn't even speak. She just nodded toward him. Blaine gave her a sympathetic look, before explaining what she told him to Kurt.

"Oh my god. Rachel." He said after a few minutes. "This is all my fault."

"How is it your fault Kurt?" She asked him.

"I set you two up! It's all my fault. If I wouldn't have pushed you to go out with him.. You wouldn't be in this mess!" He exclaimed, tears pooling into his own eyes.

Kurt felt so ridden with guilt. "Oh god I am such a terrible friend. Rachel.. I'm so so-" Rachel cut him off.

"It's not your fault. I've let this go on for way too long.." She muttered, tears falling down her cheeks again. "Please don't blame yourself. Please?" She requested. Kurt stood up and hugged her tightly. "Ow." She said. He pulled away, a sad look on his face.

"I.. I'm so terrified to tell Noah.." Rachel said. She was shaking at the thought.

"Rach, I think you need to go lay down... Let us tell Puck, okay?" Blaine offered. Rachel nodded. "I-I should tell him myself though, shouldn't I?" She asked.

"Not if you're uncomfortable." Kurt answered.

"I-I need to go lay down." She said, wiping her tears away, revealing the large bruise on her face.

"Oh Rach..." Kurt said, cradling her chin gently. She shifted her eyes to the ground. "I'm just going to go lay down..." She repeated, shuffling her way to her room.

When she lay down, she didn't actually intend on falling asleep. But she did. She was so exhausted. She woke up a few hours later to screaming. It wasn't as loud as it would have been, since she was in her room.

"Holy fucking shit, I'm going to murder this bastard!" Came Puck's voice. "I can't fucking believe this. Unfucking acceptable. No one fucking lays a hand on her and gets away with it." He said.

"Puck, please calm down. Going after him isn't going to solve anything. He'll just press charges against you, making this case invalid." Kurt reasoned.

"As long as this asshole knows what she felt, I don't care! I want to beat his ass!" Puck shouted.

"But if you do that, he'll just heal, and continue to do this to other girls. Don't you want justice over this? Make sure he doesn't get to hurt anyone else the way he's hurt Rachel?" Blaine asked him calmly.

"We can talk about this later. I need to go see Rachel." Puck said.

Rachel could hear his footsteps approaching, and the door to her bedroom opening.

"Rachel?" He said softly. She stirred, and sat up slightly. "Hey.." He said, walking in, closing the door.

"Is it cool if I sit with you?" He asked. Rachel nodded, and he sat down on the bed next to her. She curled into his side, fresh tears falling. "Shh, Rach, everything is gonna be okay. I'm here now." He said soothingly, trying to comfort her. "I let this go on for way too long." She cried.

"Why though?" He asked. "Rach, you should have said something the first time it happened."

"I.. I thought I loved him. I told myself that I loved him. I told him that I loved him. I gave him everything Noah. My.. My first time.. Was with him." She admitted. Puck just held her, and let her cry.

Simply put, Rachel Berry was broken. It was so heartbreaking for Puck to see, but this wasn't about him. All he focused on was Rachel. She needed to get it all out. She gripped onto the fabric of his shirt, her tears staining it. "Rachel, this is killing me to see you like this. God, I can't lie to you, it makes me want to go find him, and beat him senseless, make him feel what you felt." He explained to her.

"Please don't, Noah. Please." Rachel asked. "I don't want to see you get carted off for that. I can't lose you." She whispered.

"You're going to report him, right?"

"Of course.. But not right now. I'm- I'm not ready. I can't." She gasped through sobs. She was getting into hysterical sobbing now.

Puck spent the entire evening with Rachel, holding her, telling her it would be okay, trying to calm her down long enough so that maybe she would go back to sleep. He promised to stay with her. That calmed her down quite a bit. Once she had stopped crying, he stroked her hair, humming softly to her.

Eventually, the tiny brunette fell asleep in his arms. Puck was going to get Owen bad for this. Rachel didn't deserve to have to feel like this, ever. He made it his mission to make sure this bastard would be put behind bars.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, read and review! There are only a few chapters left! :D


	5. Chapter 5

A Puckleberry fanfic: They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why

Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this type of situation, ever. Set after graduation, slightly AU

Pairings: Rachel/OC-eventual Puckleberry, Klaine, Hummelberry friendship, Raine/Blainchel friendship, Puckurt friendship, Blaine/Puck friendship.

Owen knew he shouldn't have sent Rachel home alone. It had been two days. No matter, school would be starting up again soon, and he knew Rachel had to have perfect attendance. In Owen's mind, Rachel deserved what she'd gotten. And he told her to stay away from Noah Puckerman.

He decided to go to Rachel and Kurt's apartment, not being able to wait anymore to see her. Owen had no idea of the events going on. Rachel had let it gone on this long, he just figured she wasn't going to tell.

When he got to her door, he knocked, and waited. Kurt answered it, a glare immediately setting on his face. "You are no longer welcome in this household, Owen. And if you had any brains at all, you'd leave before Puck knows you're here." He warned. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said.

"We know about what you did to Rachel, what you've been doing to her. And it's ending now. Consider this you and Rachel's break up." Kurt told him, before going to close the door. Owen put his hand out to stop him. "Shouldn't you let Rachel do it herself? I know her, she'd want to do it herself, get complete closure."

"If you think that any of us are going to let you near her ever again, you're insane." Kurt replied coolly.

Puck was sitting on the couch with Rachel, they were discussing what was going to go down with reporting this bastard, getting him locked up. There was a knock on the door, and Kurt had gone to answer it. They didn't pay much attention to who was there, until he heard Kurt's voice raise a little. Puck and Blaine stood, to see what was going on. When he saw who was at the door, Blaine had to hold him back. "I can't believe he has the fucking guts to show up here." He muttered, allowing Blaine to push him back over to the couch. Rachel looked at Puck with wide, concerned eyes. She stood next, walking beside Kurt who was still speaking with Owen. Rachel took a deep breath.

"I-I would just like to inform you myself that we are through, Owen." She looked at him, and spoke quickly. "And I am indeed reporting you for what you've done. I thought it was only fair of me to tell you first," She finished. Kurt kept a supportive arm around her shoulders as she spoke.

Owen glared at her. "I see what this is about. You're fucking Puckerman aren't you? You just couldn't wait to wrap your skinny little legs around him could you? You're just a filthy, lying, high maintenance slut." He sneered.

Rachel stood there in utter shock. She couldn't make herself do anything. It was Kurt who did it. His hand made contact with Owen's face almost immediately after the words left his mouth. "Who are you to come to our home, and insult her like that. You're the criminal here. Not her. Have a great day, Owen you bastard." With that he slammed the door shut in his face, locking it.

"Are you okay, Rachel?" Kurt asked once he was sure Owen was gone.

"I think so.." Rachel sighed.

"We're going to get him. He's not going to stand a chance." Blaine assured her.

Puck had gone into a different room, to avoid jumping at the bastard who'd hurt Rachel. He paced the floor, being unable to sit. He really just wanted to punch something. But he just took some deep breaths. When Rachel came in, he was relieved.

"He's gone.. And I don't think we're going to be seeing him again for awhile." Rachel assured him.

"Rach.. You do know I have to go back to Lima with Blaine soon, right?" He asked.

She simply nodded. "I understand. You have school, and so do I. I do intend on reporting him as soon as possible. But I wanted to talk to you about something else." She took a deep breath, and began to speak again. "I am 100% sure I have feelings for you. Romantic feelings. And I understand if it's too late for you to reciprocate.. I blew you off. Granted it was because I was terrified of leaving Owen.. But still it was rude, and-"

Rachel was cut off by Puck's lips on hers. Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Once oxygen overcame her need for him, she pulled away, breathing heavily. Once Puck caught his breath, he pushed some of Rachel's hair behind her face.

"Rachel, I just want to see you happy. And, if you'd allow me the chance.. I think that I can be the one to make you happy.. Rachel Barbra Berry... Be my girlfriend?"

Rachel beamed up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Of course, Mr. Puckerman." She replied. She hadn't smiled like this in such a long time. Puck leaned in, kissing her softly.

Once they finally walked out of the room, Kurt and Blaine were sitting together on the couch, talking about something quietly. Puck sat on the chair, Rachel sitting on his lap. Kurt raised a questioning eyebrow at the pair. "Noah and I have decided to try out a relationship." She told her best friend simply. Kurt smiled brightly, and held his hand out to Blaine. "I win." Blaine grumbled and handed his boyfriend a 20.

Now it was Rachel's turn to raise an eyebrow. "We betted on how long it would take for Puck to ask you out. I betted it would be before we reported Owen. Blaine said it wouldn't be until after. So, I win." Rachel rolled her eyes at their antics. Puck just chuckled, and shook his head, before kissing her cheek.

"So, on to the serious matter. We need to report him now. It's been two days, and we need the evidence." Rachel still had bruises decorating her body, and though it didn't hurt anymore, it was still visible. Rachel nodded, and Blaine is the one who called the cops.

Once they arrived at the apartment, Rachel was bombarded with questions.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Explain how you got these bruises."

"We need to take pictures for evidence."

"Let our medical examiner look you over, please, Miss Berry."

Rachel answered the questions as best as she could, they took pictures of her face, and her stomach, and arms. The examiner looked her over, poking and prodding in random places, causing Rachel to flinch a few times.

Once they were all done, Rachel was relieved they were gone. They had found enough proof that it was indeed Owen who caused the pain to her, and they were putting him under arrest until the court date.

Rachel was incredibly happy to know this. Her life would be so much easier now. Now, she had Puck. Her boyfriend, and Kurt and Blaine.

"I don't want you to leave." Rachel pouted up at Puck while they were laying together, his arms wrapped around her small frame, the night before he had to go back to Lima. "Me either babe. I would stay here if I could. But dammit school's important." He said, rolling his eyes, utterly bemused and bewildered that he'd just said that.

"My, my Noah Puckerman, you have changed." She giggled, leaning in closer to him, her hair falling in front of her face. She tucked it behind her ear, and kissed him lightly. His grip tightened a little, not wanting to ever let her go. "It's not like you're going to be gone forever. It's only a few months.." She explained. "_Only? _Babe, you're killing me." He groaned, loving the feel of Rachel's body on his.

Rachel scooted down again so her head was resting against Puck's muscular chest. Rachel could already feel herself healing, and it was all thanks to her three best friends. She knew she was going to have to thank them somehow.

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long! I had finals, I got sick, and I practice color guard twice a week, so I'm worn out! D: It's short, but sweet! I really do enjoy your reviews, and keep them coming please! (:


	6. Chapter 6

A Puckleberry fanfic: They Hit Until You Cry, And You Don't Ask Why

Summary: After high school, Rachel Berry never expected to be in this type of situation, ever. Set after graduation, slightly AU.

Pairings: Rachel/OC-eventual Puckleberry, Klaine, Hummelberry friendship, Raine/Blainechel friendship, Puckurt friendship, Blaine/Puck friendship.

_It was a cold night, Rachel was in bed, asleep, dreaming about Noah. Her Noah. Just a few months, and she'd be reunited with him. It made her happy to think about. She was alone in her bed, when she felt someone crawl in beside her, wrapping a muscular arm around her waist. Her first instinct was that it was Noah. _

_She smiled at the comforting arms, and the lips pressed to her hair. His hand pulled her hair back, touching her neck. Something was off now. Why were his hands wrapping around her neck? What was going on? Suddenly, she couldn't breathe. This couldn't be Noah. He wouldn't do that to her. _

_She choked, and turned to face her attacker. She gasped when she saw who it was. To her relief, it wasn't Noah choking her, to her dismay, it was Owen. Rachel couldn't breathe. The look on his face was pure evil. "You're gonna pay." Was all he said. Rachel tried to scream, but nothing came out. _

Rachel woke up screaming. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. She repeated to herself. Kurt came in the room, half awake, a worried look on his face. "Rach?" He asked groggily.

"I-I just.. had a nightmare.. It's nothing." She panted heavily. Kurt sighed, and sat next to her, allowing her to lean on him as she caught her breath, and the tears fell. "Rachel, these nightmares are getting more frequent.. Before you know it, I'll have to camp out in your room to calm you down." Rachel just let out a small laugh, and wiped her tears away. "Kurt.. I do hate to have you do that, but do you mind sleeping in here tonight?"

Kurt shook his head. "If it'll make you feel better, then no. Not at all." He told her, already getting himself comfortable under her blankets. "Thank you Kurt." "Of course, Rachel."

Rachel breathed in and out deeply, and settled down, slowly falling back asleep, luckily this time, a dreamless sleep.

When she woke up the next morning, she could hear Kurt on the phone, whispering to someone. She could barely make out the words, but she caught pieces.

_"...The nightmares are getting worse... I'm very worried about her...The trial is today, thank god..." _

Rachel sat up slowly, and Kurt smiled at her. Rachel yawned, and shortly, Kurt handed her the phone.

"Hello?" She asked, stifling another yawn. "Hey babe, how're you holding up?" Rachel smiled a little bit at the sound of Puck's voice. "I'm doing alright I suppose. I just wish these nightmares would go away."

"They will eventually." "I wish you were here." "I know, just a few more months baby." Rachel sighed. "I know." "Alright. So if you need anything, if you wake up in the middle of the night, call me okay?"

"I promise I will." Rachel told him. "Good. I love you, okay?" "I love you too." She whispered, handing the phone back to Kurt, and laying down again.

"Rachel, sweetie, it's time to get ready. You have to be in court in about two hours."

"I know.. I'm worried. Incredibly so."

"It's going to be hard, but you'll be able to do it. I have complete faith in you."

Rachel sat up, and took a deep breath. "What if they think I'm lying?" Rachel asked Kurt.

"I can promise you, Rachel. It's really just a formality. To officialize everything. They already _know _he hurt you. All you have to do is tell them how, and he'll be behind bars." Rachel was beginning to feel assured, and got up, getting ready.

"All rise in respect of Judge Fitzstevens." The baliff announced. Rachel stood, keeping her eyes away from the one who was sitting across the room from her. Once they announced the judge, and he allowed everyone to sit, Rachel dared to look over at Owen. He was glaring at her, and it was actually pretty scary.

Kurt noticed this, and tapped her shoulder, as he was sitting right behind her. "Don't let him scare you." He whispered. Rachel nodded, but didn't face her best friend. "We're here today to discuss the case of Rachel Berry against Owen Johnston in an act of an abuse. Does the defendant's representation have anyone they'd like to call to the stand?" Rachel's lawyer stood, and walked forward. "Yes your honor. Rachel? Would you like to tell everybody what happened to you?" Rachel nodded, and stood, smoothing her skirt out, standing in front of the baliff with her right hand on the bible.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?" "I do." "Proceed." Rachel sat down, and began her story.

"I met Owen at school. He was incredibly charming, sweet, funny, all of the things I look for in the perfect boyfriend. One evening, I saw him with another girl, so I ran home crying. The next morning, he came to my apartment apologizing and begging for forgiveness. I declined, and he slapped me." She paused, and her lawyer nodded, encouraging her to go on. "I forgave him, and we got back together.. I convinced myself that I loved him. The 'one time thing' continued on to be an almost daily thing. I let it go on, because I was afraid of what would happen if I left him, and I continued to convince myself I was in love with him. Finally, he beat me up, worse than ever before, and thanks to the help of my three best friends, I finally told, and left him." She said.

Her lawyer stood up, pictures in hand, giving them to the judge. "The pictures just given are evidence that Miss Berry's story is true. These marks match the size and shape of Mr. Johnston's hand." The judge looked over them, and nodded. "Do you have any questions for the witness?" He asked. "No, your honor."

Owen's lawyer stood to ask his questions. "Miss Berry, may I call you Rachel?" She simply nodded. "Alright. Rachel, you say you allowed this to go on for months?" Rachel nodded. "Why the sudden change in behavior?"

"As I stated before, my friends helped me realize how wrong it was for him to be abusing me, and they gave me the support I needed to report him."

"Your friends? And what are the names of your friends that 'helped you'?"

"Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson and Noah Puckerman." Rachel stated.

"Are they present in the court?" The lawyer asked.

"One out of the three is present, sir."

"And who would that be?"

"Kurt Hummel, sir."

"And where are the others?"

"Currently, the other two are in Ohio, where they reside. We do all have school to attend, and I would never dream of asking them to miss any school on my behalf." She answered honestly. "No more questions, your honor."

"You may step down, Miss Berry."

Rachel returned to her seat, and looked at Kurt nervously. He gave her a sympathetic smile, and nodded. "The next witness we'd like to call to the stand, Owen Johnston." Rachel's breath hitched as he shot her a wink. Kurt put his hand on her shoulder again, in a form of support. She scooted her chair back to take his hand as Owen spoke.

"Owen, would you mind telling us your side?"

"Rachel and I did meet at school, yes. We bumped into each other on the way to our classes, and ended up in the same one. Her friend Kurt actually set us up. We were going along perfectly fine, and then she started getting distant. Spending more time with her friends, avoiding me, and such. Then I met her friend Noah Puckerman, who seemed to be very tempermental. I asked her to stay away from him, simply afraid for her physical health. This made Rachel upset, and very angry, so she slept with him to get even. I imagine that's where the bruises came from." He said, a fake look of sadness on his face.

Rachel's jaw dropped. He was trying to frame Noah for these injuries. Her lawyer gave her a nod, and sighed. "Any questions for the plantiff?" "No your honor."

"You may step down. We'll take a short recess to allow the jury to decide." The judge pounded the gavel and everyone stood, to file out of the courtroom.

"Rachel wait!" Kurt called out, chasing after her.

"Kurt, we're completely screwed! He lied! He made it look like I'm the liar! It's not right!"

Rachel was in tears, and sat down on one of the benches. "He made me look like a whore. A whore who tried to get even, and made Noah look like the abuser." She choked out.

Kurt sat next to her and held his best friend. "Shh, Rachel, it's an absolutely ridiculous story, and if the jury had any brains, they won't believe it. Do you know how ridiculous he sounded? Because I do."

Rachel nodded at her best friend, only feeling a bit calmer. "How about we call Puck?" Kurt suggested, his phone in hand, already dialing the number. "You go for Puck." "Puck, it's Kurt."

"Kurt, tell me there's something good happening."

"Quite the opposite. Andrew's story was a complete lie, and he made it look as if Rachel slept with you to get even for telling her to stay away from you, and you're the one who gave her the bruises."

Puck was silent for a minute, trying to process the information. "This is fucking bullshit! I would never fucking hurt her, and we haven't even slept together yet!" He shouted. "Noah, there's no need to shout. You and I both know the truth, and that's what matters." Rachel said in an attempt to calm her boyfriend down.

"Not if that fuckhead gets to walk free!"

"Language Noah, don't be so crude."

"Sorry babe. I'm pissed beyond belief."

"I know, just know that I love you no matter what, and I'll see you soon."

"I love you too Rach."

Rachel hung up the phone, and handed it back to Kurt, who said he needed to call Blaine and fill him in. Rachel nodded, and excused herself to go to the restroom. When she exited, Kurt was waiting for her, and they made their way back to the courtroom, Kurt sitting next to her this time.

"Welcome back everyone. The jury has made their decision."

The man in front stood and cleared his throat. "Based on the evidence submitted, and the witness's stories, we find the plantiff, Owen Johnston, guilty as charged."

Rachel was in shock for a moment, not sure if she'd heard correctly. Did he get charged? It hit her. It was all over. She stood, and hugged her best friend as tightly as she could.

"Owen Johnston, you will spend five years in the New York State Penetentary with no bail option, and you are forbidden to step within fifty feet of Miss Berry upon release." The judge said calmly before slamming the gavel again. "Court adjourned."

The baliff put Owen in handcuffs, and took him away. Rachel was crying tears of joy. She wasn't scared anymore. Kurt had excused himself to call Blaine, figuring she'd want to talk to Puck herself. She got her phone from her pocket, and dialed his number.

"Rach? Hey, how'd it go?" He asked, the minute he picked up. "Well..." She paused for dramatic effect. "He's in jail, Noah." She announced. "Oh thank fucking god. Everything's going to be okay now."

"I know... I love you so much." She told him, meaning every word.

"I love ya too, babe. Now, you go celebrate with Kurt, and you'll be back here before ya know it." Puck said to her. "Okay Noah. I miss you, and I'll see you soon." She whispered, hanging up.

**A/N: So I know it's not completely accurate to how a court works, but I'm afraid I'm going off of google, and tv shows. So, if that part isn't well written to you, I do apologize. This chapter was longer than I thought it would be! But as usual, read review and enjoy! I really do appreciate the reviews, and I do apologize for taking so long to put up this chapter. The holidays got in the way you know. :D There are just two or three chapters left! **


	7. A Note from the Author

This chapter is just my author's note!

I'm sorry I disappeared off the face of the Earth when it came to updating this fanfic guys!

I just went back and reread it, and I will most definitely be finishing it up!

Again, I do apologize!

Expect an update within the next couple days, it's almost done, so there will probably be two chapters left.

Thanks for sticking around though!

-Ashleigh


	8. Chapter 7

_Four months later. _

Rachel stepped off the plane landing in Lima, Ohio, Kurt in tow behind her. They'd made it home just in time for Blaine's graduation. Literally. It was starting in about an hour. Rachel looked around for Puck, who was picking them up and driving them straight to McKinley for the ceremony. Finally spotting him, Rachel ran into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her, spinning her. "I missed you," She smiled, after kissing his lips. "I missed you too, Rach." He said, setting her down gently, and grabbing her hand. Kurt came up behind them, and put a hand on their shoulders. "As painfully adorable as this reunion is, we do have a graduation to get to. This graduation just happening to be my boyfriend's, so, if you wouldn't mind lovebirds…" He said, pushing them each forward a little bit. After quickly getting their bags from baggage claim, they were on their way.

Rachel sat in the middle of Puck's truck, her head resting on his shoulder. The three friends chatted lightly. Rachel's mind was still elsewhere. Even though she knew Owen wouldn't be able to hurt her anymore, she still couldn't sleep with the lights off, nor could she sleep alone. Kurt had been incredibly sweet about it, although she knew he was getting weary with it. Four months should've been enough time to get over it, right? That's what Rachel thought. But she still had the occasional nightmare of Owen coming back and hurting her again. She shook these thoughts from her head, as they pulled into the parking lot of McKinley High. The graduation ceremony didn't really change from the previous year. The only difference being the year. It said 'Congratulations Class of 2013!' Instead of the previous year's '2012'. The ceremony went smoothly, Rachel recognized some of their friends that they hadn't graduated with. Blaine was one of the first names called, and the three of them, Puck, Rachel and Kurt had all stood and started screaming incredibly loud. The look on his face was priceless.

Once the official ceremony was over, Blaine found Kurt, and the two of them talked privately for a few minutes. Blaine then made his way over to Rachel and Puck. "Congrats, man." Puck said, holding his fist out for a bump. Blaine returned it enthusiastically, and turned to Rachel, accepting her embrace. Puck went toward Kurt, to let the two talk. "I'm so proud of you, Blaine." She smiled. "I could say the same, Rach." He answered.

"How are you handling everything?" He asked her. "I still have nightmares… And slight paranoia… For instance sleeping alone… I still can't do it." She explained.

"Yeah, Kurt told me… Does Puck know this?" He asked. "No… I don't want to worry him. He's already helped me with so much… All of you have. I honestly don't think I would've ever gotten out of that relationship if it wasn't for you three." She told him.

"But enough about me. Today is all about you, you're a high school graduate!" She exclaimed. Kurt and Puck found them again, and they spent the afternoon celebrating.

That evening, Kurt and Blaine went out, while Rachel and Puck decided to stay in. They were cuddled together on Rachel's couch. Her dads had gone out of town, and told Rachel that she could stay in the house, and how much they wish they'd be home to see her on her most recent visit to Lima.

Puck kissed her forehead gently. "I'm glad you're home." He said quietly. Rachel rolled over, so she could look at him. "I'm glad too… It's been a long year." She said. "A tough one for you, too…" He muttered. Rachel nodded. "I know, but it's over, so I'd like to move on and stop talking about it." She said, nodding. Puck laughed. "Alright, babe. I can do that." He promised. Rachel pressed a kiss to his lips, and he responded, holding on to her waist gently. When she pulled away, she had a smile on her face, completely content with her current position.

Things finally turned up for her. She had finally healed. But there was just one more thing. "Noah," she started. "I want my first time to be with you… My real first time. I love you, and I wish I would've had the strength back then to wait." She explained. He sat up, and took her hand. She pulled his hand, and stood up, leading them to her room. Once the door was closed, Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck. "The house is empty, we're alone… I think right now is the perfect time." She whispered against his lips. Puck responded with a kiss. "I think you're right." He said, lifting her up a little. Rachel wrapped her legs around his waist, holding on tightly. He kissed her, and walked them over toward her bed.

Once they were laying down, Rachel reached for Puck's shirt. Slowly, they each undressed each other, kissing every inch of skin they could. Now this was more like it. This was exactly how her first time should've been. With Noah. Every kiss, every touch, it was gentle, but had just the right amount of roughness to it, to make her feel good. He treated her like it was actually her first time, as if she was a porcelain doll, that could shatter if treated too roughly.

Rachel and Puck lay next to each other naked, panting, catching their breath. The brunette girl leaned over, and cuddled into his side. "I love you so much." She whispered. "I love you too, babe. More than you know…" He said, wrapping his arms around her, and holding her close. "Thank you for saving me." She said sleepily, laying her head against his chest. The two drifted off to sleep together.

The entire rest of the summer consisted of Blaine and Puck packing for New York, and Kurt and Rachel clearing out room in their apartment for the boys to move in. Their dreams were all coming true. Puck and Blaine both got accepted into NYU. Kurt and Rachel would be returning to NYADA for their second year. Rachel was glad to say this was exactly how she and Puck had planned everything when they were eight. Living together in New York and making their dreams come true.

Rachel would say they had a fairy tale life, and they'd live happily ever after. Of course then, Puck would interject and say that shit was cheesy. Rachel would glare and he'd take it back, and agree with her.

-Fin


End file.
